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It takes a long time and a lot of effort to have your work published in a journal. Fear not, because TrueEditors is back with some helpful hints!
As scholars, we all try to find and publish information that will benefit the right audience. We devote hours, days, weeks, and months to a single article, gathering facts and opinions from a wide range of sources to create a comprehensive piece.
Converting your paper into a published one takes time, and in high-impact journals, it might take up to a year to reach the stores. Rejections will occur, but there is always something to be learned from them. So, what are all the obstacles that must be tackled before pressing the ‘Send’ key?
This article will help you comprehend the entire submission process, as well as mistakes you should avoid if you’re trying to have your paper published in that magazine of your dreams, or even if you’re a veteran struggler.
Remember that getting your work published in a journal is a very competitive sphere. It’s rare for a writer to go through this without at least a dozen revisions. So be patient.
Pre-Submission
1. Do Not Rush
As thrilling as the prospect of a byline is, haste always makes waste. Your article’s initial draught will never be as good as the final version, but that shouldn’t prevent you from relying on editors to bring out problems in your work.
The first rule of revision is to take a break from your document. Seek a second opinion from experts or just public feedback from those who aren’t experts. Is there any room for revision and fact-checking? Perhaps improved content organization to increase readability and flow?
Don’t stop dealing with this issue until after submitting your work; it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
2. Choose the Right Publication/Magazine for Your Content
Don’t apply to every journal you’ve ever seen or heard of. It’s pointless to get your geological study published in a business magazine.
Examine the publications that cater to audiences that are similar to yours and would be interested in hearing what you have to say.
Choosing the correct magazine can help you increase your chances of being accepted and creating the right type of impression. Outlets that you used during the writing of your paper might be a good place to start.
Most importantly, do not send your work to many magazines at the same time.
Apart from the potential for embarrassment, it will also result in copyright difficulties for all parties involved.
3. Citation
It’s essential to acknowledge the proper sources for their contributions while writing an academic document, or any material for that matter.
Whether it’s verbal assistance and instruction from a lecturer or referencing actual passages from someone’s work, you must acknowledge it in your references or acknowledgments section.
You could say, “It’s only a few sentences,” yet it might truly be considered plagiarism. It also lowers your credibility and may negatively affect the integrity of your paper, no matter how hard you worked on it.
If your piece contains any plagiarism, it will be instantly rejected by the publication, although you may have overlooked citing it by accident.
This does not, however, imply that your paper will include more citations and less writing. Find a healthy balance and only include things that are directly related to the argument you’re trying to convey.
4. Terms and Conditions Apply
Every magazine has its own set of standards, which you should follow very strictly.
Your research questions and objectives should be designed with the journal’s aims and scope in mind. In addition, many journals need a certain formatting style when it comes to pictures, tables, graphs, and references. There are a lot many authors and scholars out there that want to get published, and if you don’t follow the guidelines, your submission might be easily rejected.
Make sure you read and reread all of the criteria and objectives of the journal in which you want to be published.
Customizing and arranging your material in a way that immediately appeals to the intended readership will enhance your chances of being accepted.
So, this time, don’t click submit without first reading the terms and conditions!
Submission
1. Giving the Right Title is Extremely Important
The title and abstract will be the first aspects of your article to be evaluated (judged). If you nail this, you’ve already grabbed the editor’s interest and increased your chances of being approved.
Your title should only represent the core idea of your essay and its probable contribution to existing theories on the subject.
Most individuals appear to believe that titles nearly as lengthy as the paper itself make them look smarter, while the reverse is more accurate.
Similarly, your abstract should be a well-thought-out and meticulously written brief paragraph that summarizes:
Similarly, your abstract should be a well-thought-out and meticulously written brief paragraph that summarizes:
- You’ll be handling research questions.
- Method used
- Review of Literature
- What you’re trying to find and the limitations you’ll face
- A conclusion
It makes a massive difference if you title it effective.
2. Proofreading
We would want to highlight not just the significance of proofreading your journal before sending it to the publisher, but also the fact that it’s just as important as any other type of editing.
Understand and clarify the differences between all forms of editing before approaching an editor or editing service. Your paper would require extensive editing and proofreading, including copyediting and language polishing, as well as fact-checking and formatting for any pictures, tables, and graphs.
Of course, the magazine will perform a lot more editing and reviewing, but it doesn’t mean you should send in an unedited copy the first time.
Typos and grammatical mistakes can decrease your article’s authenticity and create a negative impression on the editors.
Proofreading is the key to perfection, and nobody proofreads like TrueEditors. So come to our website and have one of our editors polish your work before you send it in!
Reviewing and Publishing
1. Cover Letter
Most scholars either ignore or are completely unaware of the need of including a cover letter with their work.
If they do manage to send it in, it’s generally just a Dear X, some generic greetings, and an abstract taken from their paper. This will be far more detrimental to your cause than sending no cover letter at all.
Your cover letter should be little more than half a page to a full page in length for future reference.
What’s crucial is that it properly outlines your research area, contribution to the industry, and the topic’s novelty. This will enable you to make a far stronger argument to the editor than simply sending them your paper. Of course, the cherry on top will be drafting the ideal email, so make sure you do it correctly!
2. Choosing the Correct Editing Service/Editor is the Key to Success
Congratulations, if your essay was approved! You’re one step closer to achieving your publishing dreams. However, you’re still far from completing the mission.
As stated previously, your editor will almost always suggest numerous revisions, and peer reviews will guarantee that your content is further organized and modified to make the greatest sense. It’s all about making your text more clear and readable while still conveying the desired information to the reader.
3. Re-Submit
Don’t assume that a returned submission implies your work won’t be published. Academics frequently give up and fail to resubmit once a journal requests revisions, which is a significant mistake. Remember, peer-reviewed journals exist for a reason.
Scholarly publications aim to vet and question professional academics in order to provide relevant and correct information. Use the feedback and recommendations to enhance or modify your work before returning it. They’re still interested as long as the magazine asks you to enhance your work.
4. Ask for Help
After years of working in an academic department as a student, surrounded by classmates, professors, and advisors, the post-doctoral world might feel quite lonely.
However, just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Your previous advisors have a vested interest in your success, and your old classmates are likely seeking the same kind of assistance.
So remain in touch with your inorganic chemistry lab partner and reach out to your thesis advisor if you require a reference or someone to evaluate your research ideas. If you were a member of a post-graduate association, check if you can continue being active.
Conclusion
We wish you the best of luck in your attempts now that you have a better understanding of the process!
Don’t be discouraged if you’re rejected, and don’t be frustrated if the procedure takes a long time. It might take anything from 6 months to a year from the time you send it into the time you actually publish it.
Your editor will choose which issue it belongs in based on other articles that have been accepted for publication, the timeliness of your topic, and the theme of the issue that month, among other factors.
Be open to constructive criticism, never lose trust in yourself or your study.
-Isabell S.
